Masonic Portraits. (No. 35.)| The Statesman.

quoting those of our published Constitutions which enjoin tho love of God and man , and obedience to the laws ; in vain do wo cite the case of princes and nobles and others of higlj degree who take an active part in our government . There is no arguing with thoso who will not be convinced .

Onr arguments and the arguments of this class of opponents are , in fact , as two parallel lines , capable of being prolonged infinitely , but never ol meeting together and establishing a coincidence of opinion . Again , thero are

those who take a far less exalted view of Freemasonry . They are careless about our supposed antipathy to religion and morals , but they think us a parcel of zanies , who to an excessive regard for the pleasures of the table unite a most ridiculous love of show . We dine much and often ,

and we do so , bedecked with ribbons and aprons and jewels . We are charitable , perhaps , but always ostentatiously so . As for our vaunted secrets , we have nono , or at least none worth keeping or making a fuss about . We are , in short , a huge confraternity of men , who practise a certain amount

of harmless mummery , eat and drink hugely , and bedizen ourselves ridiculously . It is almost as difficult to meet this class of opponents as the former . We say there are wise and temperate men among us who hate mummery , excessive indulgence , and the display of tinsel . The answer

is , perhaps , Nemo mortalmm omnibus horis sapit , Bulce est desipere in loco , or some equally trite phrase . In spite , however , of the seeming impossibility of carrying conviction to the minds of these and other opponents of

Freemasonry , we purpose laying before our readers a short sketch of one of the brightest ornaments of our Society , in the hope that if we fail to convince our enemies of their error , we may at least afford some comfort to our friends and well-wishers .

Onr portrait is of one who has attained the foremost rank within and outside the pale of Masonry . By birth a patrician , he has shown himself at each successive stage of his career in the highest degree worthy of his exalted rank . He closed his academic course . by taking first class

honours in Uteris Humanioribus , a distinction his Alma Mater acknowledged a few years later by conferring on him the honorary office of High Steward . On quitting the University he took the oath and his scat in the hereditary House of Parliament , and at once made his mark in the political

world , as he had previously dono in the world of letters . He was , in the first instance , appointed to a minor office in one of the earlier administrations of the late Earl of Derby . In 1866 he attained tbe rank of Cabinet Minister , and on the formation of the present Conservative ministry he once

again resumed the seals of office as Secretary of State for the Colonies . We are , of- course , aware that it hardly falls within our province to express any opinion on the political career of one of our brethren . Tet we feel that we are not exceeding the limits of prudence when we say

that during the whole course of his colonial administration this distinguished member of our society has faithfully and conscientiousl y devoted himself to the duties of his office . To him is due the honour of having initiated a grand and comprehensive policy , whereby the inter-relations of oui

colonies among themselves and with the mother country have been drawn together more closely aud familiarly . In the order of things this policy has met with a certain amount of opposition . Local jealousies have occasionally interfered to arrest its progress . But these have merely

served to bring out in stronger relief the true magnificence of a scheme whose sole object is the greater consolidation of our empire . Opponents as well as friends now recognise this , and doubtless ere long his plans will be carried out in their entirety . Here then is one who has achieved the most

brilliant success , both at his University and in his career as a statesman . At this very moment he is one of eleven men to whom are entrusted the destinies of a mighty empire .

Is it conceivable that such a man should countenance a society of conspirators against law and order ? And yet he is a Freemason of some twenty years' standing , and one of our leading magnates .

Pass we now , however , to what will more immediately interest our readers , —the Masonic career of the successful student and statesman . He was initiated into Freemasonry in February 1856 , in the Westminster and Keystone Lodge ,

No . 10 . Early in the following year , owing to certain foreign brethren having a few months previously been condemned to various terms of imprisonment with hard labour , for the sole crime of being Freemasons , our noble brother rose in his place in Grand Lodge , and moved a resolution to the effect that the Board of General Purposes be directed to

Masonic Portraits. (No. 35.)| The Statesman.

draw up and publish a statement of the principles of our Order , showing tho basis of our Society in every age . The purpose of such resolution will be sufficiently obvious if we quote a few Avords from tho speech in which the resolution was advocated . " Let that statement clearly show , " said

tho speaker , " that if there bo one great principle which has been the mainspring of our Order , that principle has been religion . And that if there be any practice which has been religiously adhered to , it has been that of non-intervention in political and religious matters . " The motion , however ,

Avas opposed by tho D . G . M ., the late Earl of Dalhousio , then Lord Panmure , mainly on two grounds—that it would afford tho enemies of Freemasonry an opportunity of offering a direct insult to Grand Lodge , and that a declaration of Masonic principles was unnecessary , as all the world

knew what those principles were . The motion was negatived without a division ; but though the expediency of passing such a resolution may have been doubtful , the animus which prompted it was , and always will be , universally respected . In May 1858 , Westminster and Keystone

Lodge was the scene of a grand gathering of brethren , including the Grand Master the late Earl of Zetland , the D . Grand Master , the late Lord Panmure , with other Grand Officers , and a strong muster of Provincial Grand Masters , the occasion being the installation of our brother as W . M ,

of his Lodge . The ceremony was performed by the retiring Master , Bro . Wyndham S . Portal , who had on his right the Earl of Zetland , and on his left Lord Panmure . At its conclusion the brethren , to the number of over two hundred , adjourned to banquet in the great

hall . In returning thanks for his health , the newly elect W . M ., in the course of a brilliant speech , expressed his gratitude to those country brethren who had done the Lodge the honour of being present on the occasion . " Many of us in this room , " said he , " havo not seen each

other before , but we do not meet as strangers , ' and he added : " Each fresh step I take in the study of our great science , each fresh line I find in the pages of our history , convinces me still further of its incalculable ramifications , and makes me gaze with wonder and with awe on the

boundless horizon of its influence . Some further remarks were addressed specially to his London brethren , in the course of which we find the following : — " We have met sometimes to agree , and , perhaps , sometimes to differ ; but , let me assure you , that whenever we do meet , nothing can

be more pleasant or more congenial than the thought that , when we do differ , it is only from a sense of duty—from a conviction of principle . That difference of principle , therefore , need not imply any diminution of the respect and regard which is due from Mason to Mason . "

The year previous , he had affiliated to the Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , and his progress in Craft and Arch Masonry has ever since been commensurate with his merits . In 1868 , he was appointed , by the late Earl of Zetland , to the Provincial Grand Mastership of Somerset .

On the resignation , in 1870 , by that nobleman of the Grand Mastership , which he had held uninterruptedly from the death of H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex in 1843 , the Marquis , then Earl , of Ripon was elected Grand Master , and our noble brother became Deputy Grand Master . In 1871 , the

Friends in Council Lodge , No . 1383 , was warranted , and the subject of our sketch became its first W . M . In 1874 , on the resignation of the Marquis of Ripon , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , who already enjoyed the rank of Past Grand Master , was chosen to fill the vacant chair . His

Royal Highness's installation took place m April 1875 , at the Royal Albert Hall , South Kensington , on which memorable occasion our then Deputy Grand Master enacted the chief part in inducting the new G . M . into his office . His speech was in every way worthy of so great an event , and

was received with marked enthusiasm by the eight or ten thousand brethren who were present . The very first act of our new chief was the appointment of this eminent brother as Pro Grand Master . A week later , and he became Pro Grand Z . of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch

Masons . He is likewiso Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of the A . and A . Rite , in which capacity he assisted in conferring the 33 ° on the Prince of Wales , when the latter became its Patron . He is also Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master

Masons of England and Wales , having presided over that body between the years 1860 and 1863 . These are the chief , though far from being the only , distinctions he has had conferred upon him , nor are these his only claims upon the respect of all true Masons . Few